Voters hold fate of Bay Path

Debbie LaPlaca CORRESPONDENT

Published Tuesday October 2, 2012 at 6:00 am

Updated Tuesday October 2, 2012 at 9:42 am

The fate of a $73.8 million project to renovate Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School is in the hands of 78,127 registered voters of the 10 towns in a districtwide special election Thursday. The project, on the drawing board since 2002, would renovate and expand the 40-year-old school on Old Muggett Hill Road in Charlton to add classroom and shop space, correct deficiencies such as with the roof and windows, and bring the structure up to code by adding a sprinkler system and removing asbestos.

The school, built for 850 students, currently educates 1,100 daytime and up to 900 evening students.

If the project is approved, up to $47 million, or about 65 percent, would be paid for by the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The school's 10 member towns would proportionally pay the remaining $27.3 million.

Approval from all 10 towns is required to proceed. Voters in seven towns defeated the project in May. The small margin of defeat, however, encouraged school officials to call the special election.

Project supporters, including the Vote Yes for Bay Path committee, say the plan is the most economical solution for a long list of capital deficiencies and inadequate educational space.

“This is a comprehensive solution to all of Bay Path's needs and problems,” Superintendent-Director John A. Lafleche said in a recent interview.

The Vote No to $73.8 Million committee says the project is bloated and, given today's economic circumstances, only mandatory repairs should be pursued.

“Bay Path can renovate the existing building with state aid and without raising anyone's taxes,” Steven R. Maher, of the Vote No committee, said in a recent statement.

He has said the school can seek aid through one of the state school building authority's repair programs and perform work such as roof and window replacements over the course of years.

Responding, Mr. Lafleche said, “Regardless of how many times people say this can be done with no tax impact through another MSBA program, it's just not true.”

Authority spokesman Daniel Collins said, “We cannot speculate whether Bay Path would qualify for the repair program. If the local approval doesn't succeed, we will take it from there.”

When asked who determined the $73.8 million plan is the best remedy for what ails Bay Path, Mr. Collins said, “It is a collaborative process.”

The collaborative decision to renovate rather than perform isolated repairs or construct a new building was based on studies and site inspections by the state authority and outside firms. In its July 2011 letter to the school, the state authority said the options investigated were sufficiently comprehensive in scope, the study approach was appropriate, and the renovation option is reasonable and economical, and meets the educational needs identified.

One commonality between the committees for and against the project is their willingness to spend money to reach voters. Campaign finance reports filed last week show the Vote Yes committee spent $1,000 on its drive and the Vote No committee spent $2,420 to date.

Mr. Lafleche said the school district has spent about $400,000 to bring the project to this point. Of that, the state has reimbursed 58 percent. The school is also obligated to pay the towns' election costs, estimated at $60,000 to $80,000.

The single-ballot question authorizes Bay Path to fund the $27.3 million through 30-year obligation bonds. It does not, however, determine how the towns will finance their debt.

“When we forecasted the financial figures on this project we were conservative so there wouldn't be any sticker shock,” Mr. Lafleche said.

Consequently, the tax impact to each town is an estimate. Interest rates and construction contracts may be lower than projected, which would lessen the impact to taxpayers.

Charlton and Spencer voters approved debt exclusions for the project in May, thereby authorizing debt payment by increasing property taxes for the life of the loan. Rutland voters will be asked to decide on a debt exclusion on a separate ballot Thursday.

A yes vote will move the plan forward. A no vote will end the current plan, causing school officials to seek other methods of meeting the building's needs.

For more information on the project and the arguments, visit www.baypath.tec.ma.us and www.votenotobaypath.com.

The polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. in Auburn, Charlton, Dudley, North Brookfield, Oxford, Paxton, Rutland, Southbridge, Spencer and Webster.